Indicia and base for holding same



Sept. 3, 1957 B. zMoRAH 2,804,707

INDICIA AND BASE FOR HOLDING SAME med July 11, 195e 1N V EN T 0R.

orz's Zmomk ATTORNEY United States Patent INDICIA AND BASE FOR HGLDIN G SAME Boris Zmorah, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application July 11, 1956, Serial No. 597,170

Vs claims. (ci. 411-142) This invention relates to indicia and a means or method of attaching such indicia to a base plate.

Broadly, it is an object of the invention to provide indicia in the form of numbers and letters which can be rapidly and easily attached to a base plate by anyone who can handle a hammer.

More speciiically, it is an object of the invention to provide incidica, such as numbers, letters ar emblems having projections or pins on the reverse or back thereof and a base plate with grooves or channels to which such indicia may be rmly and rapidly attached by anyone, skilled or unskilled.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference is had to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a base plate with a number attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken through line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear or back view of the base plate and number attached thereto, shown in Figs. l and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View showing one of the pins projecting from the back of the number passing through the base plate before it is firmly attached thereto;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View of the pin shown in Fig. 4 after the end of the pin has received a hammer blow attaching the number to the base plate; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional partial View showing the transverse ridges on opposed sides of the channels or slots which receive the pins of the indicia.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 10 represents a base plate preferably made of metal such as white metal, and may be plated or finished with any desired finish. Of course, other materials may be used, such as plastic, wood, compressed compositions, etc. Such base plates are generally used with storm doors by attaching same to the ornamental at rods of the storm doors, or the base plate may be attached to the door or a portion of the house to identify the number of the house. This plate may be of a large variety of designs or of any desired configuration.

Base plate 10 has a series of opposed parallel channels or grooves 11 spaced apart at a predetermined distance. Such channels may be comparatively short with vertical ribs or dividers 12, as shown, or may be long, extending entirely across the base plate, depending upon the size of the base plate and the character of the material of which the base plate is made. lf base plate 10 is made of a strong material, such as steel, copper or brass, such channels 11 may be longer. However, if the material is not as strong, such as white metal, such channels may be shorter, as shown in Figs. l and 3. The horizontal central portion of the base plate 10 may be open, as shown, or may be recessed and colored with a color to contrast with the numbers or letters attached to the base plate for better Visibility of the numbers or letters so attached.

The opposed sides 13, 14 of the channels 11 are tapered or recede towards the back of the base plate 10 so that the channels 11 are narrower at the back, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, for the purpose as will be hereinafter described. The edges adjacent channels 11 at the back of base plate 10 are serrated or have a series of ridges 15, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The base plate 10 may have a deep ilange 16, if desired, for use with storm doors so that the flat bars or rods (not shown) of the storm doors may rest against flange 16.

Each numeral, letter or insignia, the numeral 1 being shown here merely for the purpose of illustration, is numbered 17 and has opposed pins 18, which may be round, as shown, or of other conguration, and may be uniform in thickness along its length or may be somewhat tapered as shown best in Figs. 4 and 5. The thickness of pins 18 at their outer edges should be slightly larger or thicker than the space between the outer edges comprising channels 11 so that when pins 18 pass through channels 11 to affix the numerals or letters 17 to the base plate 10, such pins 1S will displace a little of the metal of the outer edges 13, 14, thus helping to anchor the numerals or letters 17 in the desired position. Pins 18 are suciently long to extend a short distance beyond the back 19 of the plate and preferably have a slightly hollow end as indicated by numeral 20.

In order to firmly attach the numeral or letter 17 to the base plate 10 the end of each pin 18 is given a blow with a hammer thus offsetting the end of the pin 18, creating a shoulder 21, as shown in Fig. 5. The pin also thickens slightly so that the wall of the pin hugs the tapered wall of the channel 11 as is also shown in Fig. 5. The metal of the shoulder 21 becomes lodged between the grooves of ridges 15 so that the numeral or letter cannot move with relation to the base plate.

It is evident that the base plate 10 can be made suiciently large to accommodate several numbers or letters 17 or a combination of numbers and letters. It is also evident that dilferent insignia in the form of designs, such as stars, etc. may also be attached to such base plate.

By providing pase plates with the opposed channels at fixed distances apart, and numerals, letters, indicia, etc., with opposed pins 18 at the same distance apart as the channels, a complete series of numbers, letters, etc., can be made available to the consumer so that he may purchase whatever numbers or letters he requires and readily and easily attach the same to a base plate.

Of course, letters or numerals (of the wider kind, such as M, for example) may have more than two opposed pins for fastening same to the base plate.

The letters or numerals 17 may be of the same material as the base plate 10 or may be of different materials, such as copper, brass, plastic, etc. lf plastic is used, a little heat can expand the end of pins 18 to provide a shoulder, such as 21.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the design of the base plate and letters and numbers which are to be applied to same without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A base plate having spaced apart opposed parallel backwardly tapering channels, in combination with indicia having projecting pins longer than the thickness of said base plate, said pins spaced apart the width of said opposed channels, said pins having hollow ends and tapered towards the ends, the outer ends of said pins slightly thicker than the width of the back of said channels, the opposed portions adjacent said channels at the back of said base plate having transverse ridges whereby when said pins of said indicia are passed through said channels and the outer ends struck raising a shoulder, said indicia will be firmly positioned upon said base plate.

2. Abase plate having spaced apart opposed parallel channels, in combination with indicia having projecting pins longer than the thickness of said base plate, said pins spaced apart the Width of said opposed channels, the outer ends of said pins slightly thicker than the width of said channels, the opposed portions adjacent said channels at vthe back of said base plate having transverse ridges where.- by when said pins of said indicia are passed through said channels and the outer ends struck raising a shoulder, said indicia will be rmly positioned upon said base plate.

3` A base plate having spaced apart opposed parallel channels, in combination with indicia having projecting pins longer than the thickness of said base plate, said pins spaced apart the width of said opposed channels, the opposed portions adjacent said channels at the back of said base plate having transverse ridges whereby when said pins of said indicia are passed through said channels and 4 the outer ends struck raising a shoulder, said indicia will be firmly positioned upon said base plate.

References Cited the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 391,727 Wark Oct. 23, 1888 1,587,966 Le Fevre June 8, 1926 1,612,035 Lorenzo Dec. 28, 1926 1,840,419 Walling Jan. 12, 1932 1,876,405 Enscott Sept. 6, 1932 2,093,264 Chernow Sept. 14, 1937 2,178,055 Stupell Oct. 31, 1939 2,520,648 Newman Aug. 29, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 284,017 Great Britain Ian. 23, 1928 289,239

Great Britain Apr. 26, 1928 

